100 Carolwood Drive

 Let's take a look at 100 Carolwood Drive. There are apparently a lot of Michael Jackson fans out there...when I got up this morning my blog counter was through the roof - and I don't even mention MJ on my blog! Doing a little research, I found out people were coming here today because I'm very familiar with Carolwood Drive and have posts about Walt Disneys house and Fleur de Lys.

 So as not to disappoint, let's take a look at the house Michael Jackson was renting on Carolwood Drive in Holmby Hills! The first photo above shows the 16,119 square foot home smack in the middle of the photo. The photo to the left shows the underground parking garage entrance.

 Unfortunately for MJ, this house sits right on busy Sunset Blvd and he no doubt had to endure the constant drone of passing traffic. Why anyone would build such a huge mansion right on a major thoroughfare, I have no idea. From what I have been reading, Sean Connery lived in this home at one time though I have not verified that.

 But MJ rented it for $100K a month since his house up north is in foreclosure - he had to make due with a mere 8 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. Notice this view from the back of the house shows three balconies, one on each of the three floors of the house.

 I had decided to stop posting celebrity houses (notice this is the first such post this year), but since I got a kazillion hits today looking for MJ's rental, I decided to oblige and look into it for you. Since interest peaks when someone dies, I end up feeling kind of ghoulish visiting dead celebrity's homes...

 Let's take a street level look. This is heading southbound on North Carolwood Drive. Carolwood drive branches to the right in this photo, and actually the video I've seen of MJ's ambulance leaving was taken about where the car is on the right branch. That car is sitting just outside the guest entrance to 100 Carolwood.

 But let's head down Monovale Drive instead (this street level view doesn't go down the right branch, and I'm not driving over to Holmby Hills to take my own photos, sorry!).

 As we head down Monovale, that's MJ's house on the right...we're coming upon the underground garage...

 There is a peak inside the garage as we zoom on by. This home was built in 2002 and sold for $18M in 2004. It is valued at about $12M right now. Photos of the home's interior can be found here.

And now that we have passed, a look at it from the rear. Due to the events of this week, this home will no doubt be very famous for a long time to come, and Carolwood Drive became yet a bit more famous (infamous?)...as if it needed the help.